Finished and a Trip

I finished the long piece. 100 x 30cm

It still hasn't a name but I'm working on it.  

Pleased with it over all and it will definitely be going in the exhibition in March.  

I finished the Drawing for Textiles course with Dionne Swift.  Wasn't too happy with this one.  I didn't find it inspiring and other things took priority.  Her Developing Sketchbooks one I did quite enjoy and found I came away with some things to take further.  Perhaps it was that the drawing was done very much in her scribbly style, one which I'm not a fan of, rather than pushing our own.  Still, you live and learn and if anything I can put it in the 'don't want to do that or that way again' box.  

Last weekend I took the train to Harrogate.  I managed a bit of a mooch around on the Saturday afternoon and met up with Hilary Beattie who had one of the galleries.  She soon raided some of my purchases. 

Unfortunately the fur was moulting everwhere and her black top was covered in it.  She was seeing what she would look like going grey like me.  

I finally saw the Hardhome Embroidery.  A great piece of colaborative work.

And the FoQ winner was there too done by Laura Kemshall.  Yes it's huge but other than that it's lots of programmed machine stitch on a printed photograph.  Not sure how I feel about it tbh. 

Anne Kelly was there with lots of her own work and several pieces done by others.  I really liked this piece by Leisa Rich called Mass Hysteria.

Also all the little insect pieces she had sent in including my glowworms which actually do glow in the dark. 

There really was lots and lots to see, I'm sure you've all seen or read about them after Ally Pally and Dublin too.  In between shopping on the Sunday I did stand sit with Hillary a fair bit too. 

We took it in turns and I think she quite enjoyed herself visiting others but she did manage to sneak a bit of playtime in, which she wasn't supposed to do in a gallery! If you know Hilary you know her joyous abandon when playing with her materials!! 

I've just read the latest Cloth, Paper, Scissors and seen the article by Robyn McClendon where she talks about her 360 days of collaging.  As you know I am pretty useless at these sketchbooks and there is no way I would be able to do 360 days worth!  However it is 1st December and if you remember last year I did the month of blogging challenge.  Well I thought I could just try to put something in my sketchbook for the 31 days of December.  It helped watching Hilary and seeing her books.  Yes I can do that!  Can't I?  I will let you know now and then!! 

Winter is finally here so keep warm and stay safe if you have it too!